Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Aldeer General Forum School Me On Electric Golf Carts...

I don't think I really want a gas powered one. I have enough gas engines. This will just be used to basically drive 1/2 mile back and forth down a little road.

What am I looking for other than the overall condition of the cart? Is there any specific thing I need to be looking at? I'm sure the age of the batteries is important. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot to them compared to a car or a motorcycle.

Unfortunately it will have to sit outside under a fitted cover, so it doesn't have to be super nice or fancy, but I don't want to drive some piece of crap around either.

How big a deal are the lift kits, bigger wheels and tires, etc... to add on if you were to want to do that?

I have a lot of questions before I start the dreaded shopping on Facebook Marketplace.

Get one with a lithium battery,less weight and they last longer,some of the newer carts have a 7 year warranty on the battery

They are fairly easy to work on and modify, especially for a handy guy like you. I live on a golf course and play a lot of golf and typically get 5-6 years out of lead acid batteries with proper upkeep. Some of my friend have swapped to the lithium, but I have yet to make the switch.

I asked the same question a few years ago and several people said go see David, The Custom Golf Cart Guy in Hixson TN, a little north of Chattanooga. Lots of knowledge and fair pricing on a refurbished cart with warranty. Not to far from Lookout Mountain. Lithium makes a big difference climbing steep mountain roads and much easier to brake going downhill especially when icy being it’s several hundred pounds lighter.

One more reason for lithium batteries is less required maintenance. Charge it and leave it until you need to charge it again. After retirement I have been making attempts to reduce required maintenance on as many things as possible. The idea is to free more time to do the things that I want to do instead of need to do.

I have had an electric cart since 2008. One street legal and one for the woods. I built my hunting buggy from scratch. I bought two wrecks for $300 and built one with a lot of spare parts. Buggy’s gone wild is a good sight to learn. I have a 10 hp motor with a lift and 26 inch tires 650 controller. Top speed is about 15mph and hills are not a problem.

Irish PM me if you want. Ive been using one as a hunting rig for a little over 5 years. I can answer any questions you might have

If you buy electric, assume the batteries will need to be replaced within a year even if the seller claims were “like new”. A set of 48v Trojans will set you back roughly $1000…a little less if you instal them yourself. When I bought mine they only charged like $85 to install and that included new cables…no brainer.

Already-lifted carts are a dime a dozen on FB Marketplace

A man of your skills could easily do a conversion. There are multiple places tbhy conversion kits. Lithium batteries are the only way to go. Less maintenance, more range and peak performance until it is completely drained.

Yeah. I'm looking and it looks like there are some nice looking ones for around $2500.

It's another hobby modding and maintaining.

Make sure you get a Club Car if it’s electric.
They have aluminum frames and won’t rust from exposure to the elements and battery acid.

Good information.

I hav had club cars over the years. I hav an electric now - paid 2500 about 4-5 years ago for it. $2500 for good looking one sounds pretty decent. Batteries has been the biggest thing with me over the years. Not sure i hav had lithium and current set i hav had for Atleast 2 years. Probably good to raise the seat every 6 months are so just to look at battery connections. Can hav corrosion present and they hav stuff you can put on them to keep from corroding

Good luck - i hav liked mine

I hate them, i growed up around them..but these lithium ones are the way to go if you dont like gas..and i like yamaha,club car, and ezgo…seem to be gooduns.. that ive been around..my brother has a 20 year old club car with new batteries…shes bout wore out but it still hauls deer out

I still wouldn’t have one tho

Go hear and learn everything you want to know

Buggies Gone Wild

I've been using one for a hunting buggie since 2012.

I would recomend getting an older model Series Cart. Much Simpiler to work on, maintain and upgrade. The older EZGO TXT series models are like the small block chevy of the golf cart world, easy to work on and huge aftermarket support.

I'd find one of those and not worry about the batteries. The battery tray is going to be rusted to crap on any of them that had lead acid batteries. Don't worry about that as you can get a replacement aluminum one off of ebay for $50, you really won't even need one when you convert to lithium. Just make sure the cart frame is not rusted through and the platic body is not beat up.

I converted mine to Lithium 3 years ago and it was a game changer, and the price keeps coming down. I spent $1,200 on just the batteries then and now you can get a whole kit in the $700's.

Kit 1

Kit option 2

Order some 2ga welding cable and ends off of Amazon and a crimper from Harbor Freight and you can build you own cables for cheap.

If you plan on lifting it and tires the only other nessisary upgrade is to the controller. You will want to upgrad to a higher amp controler to handle the extra power needs.

I know his website is genearic but this guy is an electric cart guru and he has pretty good pricing on controlers

Carts Unlimited

after that it's never ending, you can get high torque or high speed motors. Lift and tires are easy. A can of adhesion promoter and some spray paint and a paint job is easy.

Could go on and on. If you have any specific questions let me know and I'll be glad to help

I've been running electric carts on the farm for 28 years now, and will keep running one until I'm no longer able. You can't beat it for being quiet. For use like you are talking about, most any of them should work ok. Whatever you get, I would quickly convert it to a lithium battery. You can buy a decent battery off Amazon for about half of what a new lead acid pack will cost, and it's better in every way.

I like the EZGO pds system for something I can easily work on myself. I'm not much of a mechanic, but I've always been able to keep up my carts myself without ever once having to take it to someone else to repair. Upgrade the controller, solenoid, and add a lift kit and 22" tires and it will run over 25 mph and climb the steepest hill you can find with a road on it. This is a DC system, and I think that is much better than an AC cart if you intend to keep it up yourself.

Beware of a cart that has been lifted but still has the original controller and electrical components. Those are the ones that fail and turn folks against electric carts. Ask BustinBeards if my cart will climb a hill.

Good luck finding one you want.

I like the price tag on that 48v Lithium conversion kit, but I'm still apprehensive about having a lithium battery cart in a garage attached to my home, particularly when the garage shares a wall with one of my kids' bedroom. I know "they" say that the newer lithium batteries aren't the fire risk the older ones were, but I'm still not ready to trust it.

Sit outside? Who are you kidding? That’s just another excuse for you to start building another project.